Definition
Diamictite is a sedimentary rock that consists of non-sorted to poorly sorted terrigenous sediment containing particles that range in size from clay to boulders, suspended in a matrix of mudstone or sandstone
Pyrolite is an igneous rock consisting of about three parts of peridotite and one part of basalt
Origin
Southern Mongolia
Pike County, U.S
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From Greek dia through and meiktós or mixed
From the chemical and mineralogical composition of the upper mantle of the Earth
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Clastic
Phaneritic
Color
Brown, Buff
Dark Greenish - Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Banded
Rough and Shiny
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Paving Stone
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Paving Stone
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Landscaping, Roadstone
As Dimension Stone, Cobblestones
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork, Production of Lime
Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Source of Chromite, Platinum, Nickel and Garnet, Source of Diamonds
Types
Bedded Diamictite and Laminated Diamictite
Dunite, Wehrlite, Harzburgite, Lherzolite
Features
Host Rock for Lead, Is one of the oldest rock
Constitutes upper part of the Earth's mantle, Generally rough to touch, Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
Formation
Diamictite is unevenly sorted terrigenous, non-calcareous sedimentary rock which forms due to weathering of mudstone and sandstone.
Pyrolite is a fine-grained, hard rock which is a type of metasomatite, essentially altered basalt. It forms with or without crystallization, either below the surface as intrusive rocks or on the surface as extrusive rocks.
Mineral Content
Calcite, Clay, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz
Amphibole, Chromite, Garnet, Magnesium, Olivine, Phlogopite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene
Compound Content
-
Ca, Fe, Mg, Potassium, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
-
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Coarse Grained
Coarse Grained
Fracture
Conchoidal to Uneven
Irregular
Streak
Light to dark brown
White
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Grainy, Pearly and Vitreous
Shiny
Specific Gravity
4.3-5.0
3-3.01
Transparency
Opaque
Translucent to Opaque
Density
2.2-2.35 g/cm3
3.1-3.4 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Heat Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia
China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey
Africa
Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Morocco, South Africa
Europe
Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
South America
Brazil, Venezuela
Brazil
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand
New Zealand, Western Australia